IBT Staff Reporter

A recently disrupted bombing plot represented one of the most serious security threats to the United States since the September 11 attacks, Attorney General Eric Holder said on Tuesday.

Actress Elizabeth Taylor said Tuesday she was going into a hospital for heart surgery and asked for prayers.

Google's Gmail and Yahoo's Mail were also targeted by a large-scale phishing attack, probably the same one that attacked at least 10,000 passwords from Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail, according to a report by the BBC.

The former head of New York's Liberal Party and a founding partner of Aldus Equity have pleaded guilty to taking part in a kickback scheme that corrupted how the state pension fund chose investment managers, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday.

Investors flocked to the Aussie dollar following yesterday's surprise interest rate increase by the RBA. Despite the central bank having previously provided strong rhetoric pointing to an increase from 3% most analysts had been expecting the first increase in the cycle to come later in the year. The immediate reaction to the news saw the AUD/USD jump from 0.8750 to trade around 0.8850 within an hour and headed into offshore exchange looking to add to the gains.

Horrorcore singer Richard Samuel McCroskey III - a subgenre of hip hop with lyrics and imagery horror themed- has been arrested relating a killing in Farmville, Virginia.

Allstate, the largest publicly-traded auto and home insurer, said on Tuesday that it had picked AIG executive Matthew Winter to be the chief executive of its troubled life insurance division.

Stocks rose on Tuesday amid signs the global economy was recovering and optimism that corporate earnings reports will beat expectations.

President Barack Obama breaks a precedent of not meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama during his five-day trip to Washington, but intends to meet the exiled leader sometime in December after his November Summit with Chinese president Hu Jintao.

Fund manager BlackRock remains bullish on stocks, particularly in the United States and in emerging markets, forecasting U.S. equity markets will offer annual returns of 6 to 8 percent over the next several years.

Blackrock Bulls; Gold's Record; Consumer Credit Falling

Jon Gosselin appeared on Monday night's 'The Insider' and faced a no nonsense panel questioning the reality show star.

Katy Perry and British comedian Russell Brand are making the latest couple rumors after they each vacationed in Thailand at the same time, People Magazine reported.

A rule that requires New York City fast food restaurants to post calorie information on their menu boards has not changed consumer habits in low-income neighborhoods, according to a study published on Tuesday.

Fund manager BlackRock remains bullish on stocks, particularly in the United States and in emerging markets, forecasting U.S. equity markets will offer annual returns of 6 to 8 percent over the next several years.

Google's Gmail and Yahoo's Mail were also targeted by a large-scale phishing attack, probably the same one that attacked at least 10,000 passwords from Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail, according to a report by the BBC.

Oil prices rose on Tuesday as investors bought commodities to hedge against a weaker dollar and the U.S. government forecast an increase in world oil demand.

Gold surged to a record high above $1,040 per ounce on Tuesday, as investors piled into the metal to preserve the value of their dollar-denominated assets against erosion by a weakening dollar and inflation.

U.S. airlines will be required to regularly disinfect and monitor on-board drinking water systems under a new rule unveiled on Tuesday.

Chevron Corp will redevelop platforms and wells at Hurricane Ike-destroyed Eugene Island 339, according to a filing on Tuesday, in a boost to the Chevron-managed TEL Offshore Trust Partnership.

A modern take on the age-old farming technique of plowing charred plants into the soil could help tackle climate change and even food security, according to researchers in Scotland.

Renewed interest in the Beatles and Michael Jackson slowed the decline of U.S. album sales in the third quarter, although the industry is still on track to fall for the eighth time in nine years.

Fund manager BlackRock remains bullish on stocks, particularly in the United States and in emerging markets, forecasting U.S. equity markets will offer annual returns of 6 to 8 percent over the next several years.

While most retailers saw bleak sales this back-to-school season, consumer electronics chains saw renewed demand for notebook personal computers, according to a report from market research firm NPD Group.

Microsoft officially launched Windows Mobile 6.5, an upgrade to its mobile operating system on Tuesday, although reviewers were not left raving of the upgrades.

U.S. consumers, who have been cutting their use of credit from all-time highs last year, are likely to keep reducing commitments if the trend continues in the latest report for August due tomorrow from the Federal Reserve.

Madonna won substantial damages from a British paper on Tuesday for breaching her privacy and infringement of copyright by publishing purloined photos of her 2000 wedding to film director Guy Ritchie.

Playboy Enterprises Inc on Tuesday named an 11-year veteran of the adult entertainment company as president, while its chief executive vowed to keep printing its namesake magazine.

Wall Street firms are changing their bonus policies, but the revisions are not cutting back the street's appetite for risk, according to a survey by eFinancialCareers.com